As the last days of  September slip away there are two thoughts in my head:

• Where did the year go?
• I have three months left to make this the best year ever. Time to kick it into gear.

It is easy to dwell on how fast the year flew by and how little you got done. However, it is way more valuable as a business owner to focus on what you need to do in the last three months. So as turkeys around the world begin to look slightly nervous, it is time to think about how you will cash in on the holiday season.

Yes, there is opportunity this time of year and lots of competition as your customers are bombarded with marketing content filled with mentions of Santa Claus, tinsel and presents. Whether your business is retail or accounting, you have to be strategic to make sure your holiday marketing messages stand out. Here are a few ideas to do just that.

Make your holiday marketing relevant

It is easy to fall back on traditional festive imagery and text but this content  may not necessarily be relevant to your audience. While pitching the image of snowmen and fairy lights might appeal to the consumer and retail market,it is probably not what a business owner will relate to as they are shopping for something like gifts for clients. In this particular scenario, focusing on the benefits of the gifts as a way to spread cheer and build relationships may be much more effective.

Manage the timing of your holiday marketing

When is Christmas? This seems like a fairly simple question but the peak holiday period can be at different times in different industries. If you are preparing content to promote yourself or your company to other businesses, make sure that you do your research to find out when their main holiday period is and more importantly, when they will be making their festive preparations.

Restaurants, for example, encounter their busiest period throughout December, but will start their marketing activities as early as August. If your content is geared around holiday marketing and promotions or involves products with any length of lead time, your peak may already have been and gone.

Invest a little more in your holiday marketing

For many companies, this is the most profitable time of year, which also makes it the most competitive. It is the one time of year where you can expect all of your competitors will be promoting themselves, so it is vital that you stand out.

Be creative in your content and unique in your distribution of it. Spend a little extra time to design eye-catching graphics, strong headlines and spectacular offers. There is no do-over for the holiday season. Don’t be afraid to look for new avenues to distribute your messages.

Go beyond the festive messages with your marketing content and drill deeper into why this period is important for your target audience. The holiday won’t sell your company, it is up to you to differentiate yourself through unique content, good timing and innovative distribution

Want to learn more?

Check out our holiday marketing guide

Roundpeg is an Indianapolis marketing strategy firm.